A perfect Summer read!

I loved this book. I won't lie, I knew how it was going to end, but I still loved every minute of it. This book tugged on the heartstrings because I also have two sisters, and one of them had a heart issue. I'm pretty sure the first few pages had me crying because I realized I can't relive childhood memories or take a trip with them. I enjoyed how these sisters were different, and all had things to figure out. I like the "fighting" and rivalry because that's what sisters do. I enjoyed that this took place at a beach house. It was also told from different points of view and wasn't confusing at all. In fact, it helped understand each character more. I wouldn't be opposed to a sequel....

Thank you NetGalley and Thomas Nelson Fiction for the ARC.

Do you love happy books?
Do you love clean books?
Do you love to have fun?

Then this is your next read! Come hang out with the Prestly sisters for a month on their (re-reunion?) month vacation, in hopes of recreating their happy childhood memories. Ten or more years have passed and their lives have gone in different directions: motherhood, careers (or lack there of), and relationships.
The. biggest surprise of all is that the youngest, Bianca has decided to marry a guy she has met on an APP a few weeks ago and move to Idaho. Cora and Savannah cannot sit and watch their younger sister do something so impulsive. So the sisters have a bet. If Cora finds love on the same APP Bianca will rethink her quick nuptials.
Meanwhile, a local heartbreaker needs to fall in love so he can become the SVP of his family's business (Of course!!) I know it sounds like another shallow hallmark, but this story is engaging, fun and flirty!!

I loved how this book took us on the hilarious and fun dates. Starting off with the "meet cute" in the CVS oral hygiene aisle. As much as Cora tried to put up her walls again love, our heartbreak heart throb was determined to tear them down.
. If I could marry a book character, he would be the one! These characters were the most "real" characters I have seen in a rom com recently. There was a sweetness and charm to the characters. There was no cheese or formulaic plot like all Hallmark movies. There were many humorous moments but none cringey.
If anything you will read the book hungry books the food in this book was chefs kiss delicious---made me want a blueberry pie.
I had read one book by Rachel Magee which was decent, but wow her writing has grown and she has found her lane . I am already excited to see what she puts out next.

Thank you NetGalley, Thomas Nelson Publishing and Rachel Magee for allowing me to review this advanced copy of What Not To Do On Vacation. I was not paid in exchange for my honest review.

Thanks to a netgalley for the ARC! All opinions are my own. While I agree with some other reviewers that it was fairly predictable, I feel like that’s because I had The Taming the Shrew and 10 Thungs I Hate about You playing in the background of my mind the entire time. And you know what? I didn’t hate that. I like that play and love that movie, so I was here for it and requested the book for those reasons. Cora and Bianca’s story closely follow those tales while Savannah’s secret kept me guessing for a good bit. I felt like it was humor, likable characters, and a clean and fun romance. Sometimes i found myself getting annoyed with Cora, but I kept reminding myself this was going to end well and just go along for the ride. Are we talking deep and intellectual writing? Heck no. But it was an enjoyable and light story and just what I needed in my book rotation. FYI some profanity but not much and pretty clean overall and a quick, fun read

Thank you net galley for the opportunity to review this story. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

3.5 stars. The premise was there, there were parts that just weren't. One thing that threw me off was the "ya'lls" that kept happening after I was already introduced to the characters and 40% through the book, I was just distracted by it.

Genre: Rom Com
Descriptors: Sisterly dynamics, beach setting, dating app
Least favorite character: Cora, she just never grew on me. I didn't really LOVE any of them TBH.
Point of view: multiple characters
Would I recommend: I think so 😬 maybe?

This book tells the story of three sisters reliving their childhood summers at a beach house. A little more damaged by life, the story unravels to explore friendships, family relationships, and various significant others. Solidly good!

📚 BookTok Review: What Not to Do on Vacation by Rachel Magee 🌊💕​

What Not to Do on Vacation by Rachel Magee is a delightful blend of sisterly bonds, self-discovery, and unexpected romance, making it a perfect addition to your summer reading list.​

Synopsis:
Determined to reconnect, Savannah Prestly organizes a month-long beach vacation to relive cherished childhood memories with her sisters, Cora and Bianca. However, the trip takes unforeseen turns when Bianca announces her engagement and challenges Cora to find love through a dating app, leading to a high-stakes bet that could change their lives. ​

What to Expect:
-Sisterly Dynamics: The novel delves into the complexities of sibling relationships, highlighting the love, tension, and growth that come with family ties. ​
-Fake Dating Fun: Cora's reluctant participation in the dating app bet introduces humorous and heartfelt moments, especially when she crosses paths with Jax, a charming yet enigmatic local. ​
-Self-Discovery Journeys: Each sister confronts personal challenges and secrets, leading to transformative experiences that resonate with readers. ​

If you're in the mood for a heartwarming rom-com that explores family bonds and unexpected love, What Not to Do on Vacation is a must-read.​
#WhatNotToDoOnVacation #RachelMagee #BeachReads #FakeDating #SisterGoals #RomCom #BookTokRecs

Thank you #NetGalley for the ARC of #WhatNottoDoonVacation

This book is everything I love in a feel-good, laugh-out-loud romantic comedy—with bonus sisterly banter, beach vibes, and an online fake dating setup that totally stole my heart.

This story gave me all the nostalgic rom-com feels—think "10 Things I Hate About You" meets "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days" with a splash of "Failure to Launch". Savannah is the oldest, and acts as the mother of the group. Her over-the-top mission to reconnect her sisters is both hilarious and heartwarming, but she's hiding a pretty big secret. Cora, the middle sister, is sassy, cynical, and afraid of love. She is a tough-as-nails skeptic who "accidentally" gets tangled in her own fake dating web (and she is now one of my favorite rom-com leads). Bianca is the baby sister, and lives and loves freely. Bianca's wild matchmaking bet between her and her sisters? Absolute gold. And don’t even get me started on her love interest, Zander aka Lord Farquaad. Cora's love interest on the other hand. M-MMM-MMM! Jax is swoony, charming, and totally unexpected in the best way.

This book nails that slow-burn tension while keeping things sweet and clean (a true low-spice rom-com win!). The humor is witty, the sisterly banter is on point, and the beach-town setting makes you want to pack a bag and escape to Sunnyside immediately.

Fast good summer read. Likeable sisters in a easy to read and love story. Siblings move apart and live separate lives but revert to childhood habits. Love how the author brought them together. Recommend.

What Not to Do on Vacation by Rachel Magee

Sisters Cora, Bianca and Savannah are spending a month at the beach at their family’s traditional vacation spot to honor their mother’s last wish. Oldest sister Savannah has planned lots of summer bucket list activities, but the one activity not listed is to prevent youngest sister Bianca out of her plan to marry her fiancé whom she met online but has never met in person. Of course, the plot becomes knottier, but I don’t want to spoil the story.

This story has lots of witty banter, some family and relationship drama, and lots of laughs plus a great setting. Never mind that it isn’t unpredictable. It is a great beach read and has a happy ending with an important lesson that all the sisters learn.

I enjoyed it and would recommend it to a friend who enjoys a clean and witty romcom. I am grateful to the publisher for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

What Not to Do on Vacation is a cute summer/vacation read and truly is the perfect blend of romance and women's fiction. On the one hand, we get not just one, but two really sweet love stories. Cora's story in some ways reminded me a little bit of How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days... two people entering into opposing bets to prove a point and things not quite going as planned. (But this definitely is a completely unique story all on its own)... I loved seeing her and Jax's connection and chemistry... despite neither one of them really looking to fall in love. And Bianca, well... I can't give too much away, but it was a really cute story too. Savannah doesn't get a love story (she's already married after all), but she added so much heart to the story... I loved seeing these sisters coming together and growing throughout the story. I'm honestly not super familiar with The Taming of the Shrew, so I can't say much about how closely this modern reimagining mirrors it. Though, I HAVE seen 10 Things I Hate About You, another reimagining... and yes, I could definitely see some similarities there too... while again being completely its own story too. If you like romantic comedies with a lot of heart and/or women's fiction with a focus on sisterhood and family, this is absolutely one worth checking out.

**ARC received via Netgalley for consideration. All opinions are my own.

I tried SO hard to give this book a chance. Then I read "with the upmost respect" and I knew there's no way this book was edited!! I'll start with what I liked. I like the overall plot, I thought it was interesting and somewhat unique with the AI dating app. I liked that the sisters had fleshed out characters, although I did feel like everyone talked and acted the exact same way.
I don't think that a 320 paged book needed 4 different POVs. There's just not enough time to fully develop all the characters, and that was clearly the case here.
What really bugged me was Magee's sentence structures. There were sentences that were repeated far too many times. It felt like she used an emphatic modifier in every paragraph. Sentences like "she liked [activity], she did," made too many appearances and to me it felt like the author was trying really hard at keeping the voice casual. I'm a firm believer that writing is a skill you can get better at and I think Magee should keep trying! However, I would not recommend this book at all.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This was a great story about families and even though we’re apart we come together when we’re needed. Along the way there’s a bet, a dating app and lots of summer memories.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher ThomasNelson.com. Sweet love story. Fun even if predictable. Great characters and fun BEACHY storyline. Although Cora was trying to teach her sister dating app without ever meeting someone in person aren’t good grounds for an engagement she did rather opposite. Spent all her free time with the person she was paired with online and he happened to be right there not cross country as Bianca’s fiancée. All worked out. And it shows I. Person dating is the way to go.

This was a fun read, I highly recommend it and I rated it a 4.5. I would definitely check it out, it was really good.

I was able to read an arc of this book courtesy of Net Galley and Thomas Nelson Publishing. I was delighted to be able to read it. I don't think I have read anything by this author. The book has some fun and witty conversations. It was interesting in that all 3 of the sisters were the main female characters. Each of them had a story and a background. Could I predict what was going happen? Yes. Did I enjoy the journey anyway? Yes. This is a clean read and a fun summer beach read. I hope you will pick this one up when you get the chance. I enjoyed it.

omg what a fun read! i was giggling and kicking my feet the entire time. I wish I could reread the book for the first time again! i received a complimentary copy for this book & all opinions are my own.

A light hearted engaging read about family connections and romance, written with heart. The author writes in a way to draw you in and keep your attention!
Three sisters reunite to share their life stories, it’s a wonderful journey to share with them. The storyline centres around family experiences and the characters are very relatable!
The beach is the perfect location to reconnect, emotions are high at times but the atmosphere of the story remains engaging and is a great read!

Thank you to Thomas Nelson, NetGalley and the author for the opportunity to read and review this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you Net Galley and Thomas Nelson Fiction for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was a sweet story where 3 sisters find their way back to each other after losing their mom. Along the way some of them even find love. It is told through multiple POVs and really focuses one the depths our family ties and bonds.


Some tropes included are:
-sibling bonds
-family drama
-fake dating
-relationship bets
-summer flings

I quite enjoyed this story about three very different sisters - Cora, Savannah and Bianca - and their one month holiday at the summer house of their childhood. There were smaller storylines interwoven throughout the book which held my interest as the main story played out. An enjoyable read with an ending nicely tied in a bow! I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Las hermanas Prestly tienen que hacer un viaje anual a Sunnyside como último deseo de su mamá, con la esperanza de sanar viejas heridas y reconstruir su relación. Cora acepta ir a regañadientes, ya que es la que está más alejada de sus hermanas. Savannah, la mayor, parece tener la vida perfecta, pero no es así, y está ansiosa por ver a sus hermanas para contarles algo sobre su salud. Bianca, la menor, no sabe qué quiere hacer con su vida, pero lo que sí sabe es que se va a casar con su novio, a quien conoció en una aplicación y con el que nunca se ha encontrado en persona. Cuando se lo cuenta a sus hermanas, ellas intentarán hacerla recapacitar sobre el error que está por cometer. Bianca, al ver que no la apoyan, decide hacer un trato: que Cora se haga un perfil en la aplicación, salga con su "alma gemela" y logre enamorarse de él. Si no se enamora, Bianca no se casará con su prometido.
Para Cora era el trato es una tonteria ya que no cree en el amor, sabe perfectamente que nadie se queda, entonces decide aceptar.


~

Disfruté del libro. Me gustó que cada hermana tuviera su propio punto de vista. La historia tiene buen ritmo, y me agradó ver cómo fueron sanando. Lo único que siento que faltó fue más participación del esposo y de los hijos de Savannah.



Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.